5 New Tech Devices Making Mobile Work Easier

At one point, the model for work was that an employee left his or her home, went to a specific location at a certain time, and then returned home at the end of his or her designated shift. Now, the work environment is much more fluid, with some people still following the traditional model in the way they perform their tasks, while others are working from home or other locations. Technological advances have made it easier for mobile workers to work from any virtual office location, and as tech devices become more sophisticated, the number of people who can take advantage of this type of flexible work arrangement is likely to increase.

Motorola Elite Silver Headset
This headset connects to your existing handset and features HD-audio and dual microphones to block out distracting background noise. Other attractive features on this $129.00 unit which will specifically appeal to mobile workers include the MotoSpeak Android app which can read SMS messages aloud and allow the user to reply or initiate a text by speaking. This device's case can be used as a charger, which keeps it safe and secure when not in use.

Plantronics Calisto 835 Speakerphone
The Plantronics Calisto 835 allows you to rout all of your phone calls to a single unit. This desktop unit allows a user to connect a cell phone (using Bluetooth), computer (through USB) and phone line (with a wall socket) to the device. A clip-on microphone allows the remote worker to take calls no matter what he or she is doing.

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13
Rather than carrying a tablet and a laptop, mobile workers will soon be able to combine features of both devices by choosing the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13. This 13-inch device's battery will run for about eight hours before needing to be charged. At about $1,000.00, this two-in-one device definitely won't be on the low end of the price scale.

Highrise
When workers who are on the same team are scattered in different locations, it can be challenging to keep track of assignments. Highrise, a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) subscription service, can be used to assign tasks to different users and track history of correspondence. It is free to use for one person, and multiple users can be added at a reasonable cost.

Tungle Scheduling App
The Tungle app makes scheduling meetings a quick and easy process for people on the go, even across multiple time zones. Mobile employees and entrepreneurs can share their availability (without disclosing any client or personal information) on their public profile when the app is synced with their calendar. Tungle looks after keeping their schedule up to date, and others can request a time to meet without having to register for an account.

There are a number of hardware and software options available to help make the lives mobile workers easier and more efficient. As this way of earning a living becomes even more mainstream, expect the type and variety of options available to virtual office workers to increase over time.

Virtual Offices Can Bridge the Gap for Home Based Businesses

Working from home was a rare situation before computers allowed some of the first telecommuting in the 80’s. Now, the number of home-based businesses has exploded, thanks to the Internet. According to Businessweek, more than half of all businesses in the U.S. are run from home. There are now more than six million of these businesses providing at least half the income for the business owner’s household.

Cost Benefits
As the benefits of running a business from home become better known, the number of these businesses continues to climb. Workers who once spent part of their day commuting now only travel as far as their home computer when there is work to be done. And instead of paying for travel expenses and business suits, they largely pay for little more than their own computer and an Internet connection.

While studies show that home businesses take in less money on average than their brick-and-mortar counterparts, they keep a higher percentage. Because of the lower overhead cost of running a business away from the high costs of an office full of employees, they keep an average of 36 percent of the net receipts as their own income. Traditional businesses set in physical offices average only 21 percent. That difference has made it possible for businesses owners to live better without running an enormous enterprise.

Home Business Problems
Just as there are many benefits to running a business at home, there is also a downside. Being in the comfort of your own home means that there are also a lot of the distractions that working at home can bring. Personal calls, visitors and household diversions are just a few of the problems of running a business from home.
Then, there are the professional challenges. When a company is completely run from a house, there may be no place to meet with clients. The situation can also cause an image problem. Clients expecting to visit a brick-and-mortar business may find a home setting unprofessional. It may even cause some to question whether the business owner is entirely serious about the business.

Using a Virtual Office
With so many small businesses being built, and so many problems running them from home, the virtual office has sprung up to bridge the gap between the home office and physical office. With this option, business owners can take advantage of the benefits of having a fully staffed office without having to pay multiple employees or rent a complete office.

When the business owner has clients to meet, these offices provide a convenient place. When there are phone calls that need to be routed, a receptionist can take the calls and forward them to the owner as needed. Mail services give the business a professional address, such as New York City, adding to the professional reputation of the business. And because these spaces are shared with other small businesses, the cost is far less than renting an office to use full time. These hybrids between the workplace and home office give small business owners the best of both worlds.